White House Urges OpenAI to Delay Launch of New Model Due to Safety Concerns

According to reports from The Information, OpenAI is set to release its latest model, GPT 5.6, in a manner that differs significantly from previous versions. Rather than making it available to the general public, the company intends to share it solely with a select group of trusted partners, as instructed by the Trump administration.
At a meeting held this week, CEO Sam Altman is said to have informed team members that the government will approve access to the model on a customer-by-customer basis during the preview phase. Altman also added that if this limited rollout proves successful, OpenAI plans to proceed with a broader public release a few weeks later.
In essence, it appears the Trump administration is urging OpenAI to adopt the same approach already being used by Anthropic, which voluntarily keeps its most advanced AI models confidential.
Per The Information, not only is OpenAI’s new model under review by government agencies, but its employees have also worked closely with officials on the upcoming release. The agencies reportedly requesting this restricted distribution are the Office of the National Cyber Director and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The Trump administration, which initially advocated for a hands-off approach toward AI development, has recently pushed for increased federal oversight of new models. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order requiring certain AI companies to submit their new models to the government for testing and evaluation prior to public release.
Earlier this year, Anthropic generated considerable controversy when it announced that its new model, Claude Mythos, would be made available only to a small group of partners through a program named Project Glasswing. The company argued that the model’s advanced capabilities could lead to greater harm if fallen into the wrong hands. Analysts have since debated whether this stance was merely a marketing tactic or a genuine effort to prevent misuse of such a powerful system, with the answer likely lying somewhere in between.
Cybercriminals have long utilized automated tools, but with the advent of generative AI, they now possess a wider range of digital resources at their disposal. Large language models have proven highly effective at creating malware, with some even capable of launching full-scale ransomware attacks independently.
The primary concern regarding advanced cyber tools like Mythos is their ability to detect and exploit software vulnerabilities at speeds far exceeding those of human analysts. Since many software systems contain hidden flaws that can serve as entry points into corporate networks, this poses a serious threat to organizations relying on complex software infrastructure. However, because these models remain inaccessible to the public, it is difficult to accurately assess the full extent of their potential danger.
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According to reports from The Information, OpenAI is set to release its latest model, GPT 5.6, in a manner that differs significantly from previous versions. Rather than making it available to the general public, the company intends to share it solely with a select group of trusted partners, as instructed by the Trump administration.
At a meeting held this week, CEO Sam Altman is said to have informed team members that the government will approve access to the model on a customer-by-customer basis during the preview phase. Altman also added that if this limited rollout proves successful, OpenAI plans to proceed with a broader public release a few weeks later.
In essence, it appears the Trump administration is urging OpenAI to adopt the same approach already being used by Anthropic, which voluntarily keeps its most advanced AI models confidential.
Per The Information, not only is OpenAI’s new model under review by government agencies, but its employees have also worked closely with officials on the upcoming release. The agencies reportedly requesting this restricted distribution are the Office of the National Cyber Director and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The Trump administration, which initially advocated for a hands-off approach toward AI development, has recently pushed for increased federal oversight of new models. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order requiring certain AI companies to submit their new models to the government for testing and evaluation prior to public release.
Earlier this year, Anthropic generated considerable controversy when it announced that its new model, Claude Mythos, would be made available only to a small group of partners through a program named Project Glasswing. The company argued that the model’s advanced capabilities could lead to greater harm if fallen into the wrong hands. Analysts have since debated whether this stance was merely a marketing tactic or a genuine effort to prevent misuse of such a powerful system, with the answer likely lying somewhere in between.
Cybercriminals have long utilized automated tools, but with the advent of generative AI, they now possess a wider range of digital resources at their disposal. Large language models have proven highly effective at creating malware, with some even capable of launching full-scale ransomware attacks independently.
The primary concern regarding advanced cyber tools like Mythos is their ability to detect and exploit software vulnerabilities at speeds far exceeding those of human analysts. Since many software systems contain hidden flaws that can serve as entry points into corporate networks, this poses a serious threat to organizations relying on complex software infrastructure. However, because these models remain inaccessible to the public, it is difficult to accurately assess the full extent of their potential danger.
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